ND’s star-studded lineup trains at Bay Oval

KaneWilliamson at the nets. Photos: Chris James

Northern Districts – with their galaxy of Black Caps stars out in full – have been making good use of the facilities at Bay Oval today, preparing for the opening day of the first class cricket season at the ground on Wednesday.

Up to seven internationals, including Bay heroes Kane Williamson and Trent Boult, along with newly-arrived locals Colin de Grandhomme and Neil Wagner, could be included in the Northern team to be named officially tomorrow morning.

Former internationals Daniel Flynn and Dean Brownlie are also likely to feature, giving the team an imposing look for a domestic outfit.

They take on Otago in the first round of the Plunket Shield, New Zealand Cricket's traditional four-day competition, first contested in 1906 when then Governor General Baron Plunket donated the trophy to recognise provincial cricket supremacy.

Northern Districts arrived in the competition in 1956 after splitting from Auckland, and in recent years have become a powerhouse in the game, supplying easily the highest number of troops to the New Zealand team of the six major associations.

That will be recognised in the lineup for the opening round, as Black Caps coach David Stead looks for his players to get valuable match practice ahead of their opening assignment of the international summer against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.

BJ Watling looking sharp ahead of Wednesday's match

Following the opening round Northern will return to relying primarily on its own contracted players, but will still have a strong unit with the likes of Bay of Plenty-bred Brett Hampton, Sean Davey and Bharat Popli joining Flynn and Brownlie, along with experienced operators Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell and Tim Seifert.

Northern Districts' opening round Plunket Shield four-day encounter with the Otago Volts begins 10:30am Wednesday morning at the Bay Oval. Admission is free.

The ND team warm up with a little light-hearted touch before getting stuck into training

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